Antikythera mechanism
The Antikythera mechanism is an ancient Greek device, often cited as the world's first mechanical computer, discovered in a shipwreck off the coast of Antikythera, a remote island in the Aegean Sea. Dating back to the first century B.C.E., this sophisticated apparatus is believed to have been used for astronomical calculations, showcasing a level of technological advancement that wasn't matched until the fourteenth century C.E. Comprised of at least 82 fragments, the mechanism features a complex arrangement of gears and dials, allowing users to predict celestial movements, lunar phases, eclipses, and even important athletic events like the Olympics.
The shipwreck, which was found in 1900, also yielded a wealth of other artifacts, but the mechanism's intricate design, including its detailed inscriptions, has sparked significant scientific inquiry and intrigue. Recent advances in imaging and analysis have revealed further complexity in its construction, propelling it into public interest in the 21st century. Ongoing research aims to unravel more about its origins and the skilled craftsmanship behind it, as well as the context of the ship and its crew. The Antikythera mechanism is currently housed in the National Archaeological Museum in Athens, where it continues to be a subject of fascination for historians and scientists alike.
Antikythera mechanism
The Antikythera mechanism is an ancient device discovered in a first century B.C.E. shipwreck that is believed to have been used to calculate astronomical data. It is a highly complex apparatus that is often referred to as the world's first computer. It is the first known geared mechanism and contains the oldest existing set of scientific scales. The level of technology associated with this device is considered to be of an extremely high level and its sophistication would not be equalled until the fourteenth century C.E.
Jacques Cousteau led a famed expedition at the site in 1976. He discovered four sets of human remains, though science at the time was unable to provide much information about the sailors. Newly developed tests may shed more light on the crew and cargo.
The device is housed at the National Archaeological Museum in Athens, where several segments are on display.
Background
Antikythera is a remote Greek island located in the Aegean Sea near the island of Crete. In 1900, a crew of sponge divers discovered the remains of an ancient Greek trading vessel in waters 130 to 165 feet (40 to 50 meters) deep off the island's shore. The shipwreck proved to be rich in cultural artifacts, including marble statuary, coins, glassware, jewelry, and a seven-foot-tall bronze statue of a young man (possibly Heracles) dubbed the Antikythera Ephebe, which has been roughly dated to 340 – 330 B.C.E. Based upon other artifacts salvaged from the remains, the shipwreck is believed to have sunk in approximately 67 B.C.E.
The shipwreck site is difficult to reach. It is considered too deep for traditional scuba diving, but still too shallow for human-occupied subs or any type of remotely operated vehicle. In addition, nearby underwater cliffs make it difficult to navigate large ships in the area, while the odd angle of the site impedes the ability of autonomous underwater vehicles to scan the seafloor with sonar. To access the site, divers had to use technology called rebreathers and undergo decompression before returning to the surface. This limited the amount of time marine archaeologists could physically spend at the site. However, new equipment that has been designed specifically to meet the challenges associated with the Antikythera shipwreck has allowed greater access to the site in the twenty-first century.
When the shipwreck was first discovered, its artworks immediately captured the attention of the salvagers. However, an assortment of decayed bronze shards was also collected and taken to the Archaeological Museum of Athens. In 1902, researchers at the museum noticed that several of these bronze fragments contained interlocking gears that had never before been observed on objects from this era of human history.
Overview
The Antikythera mechanism was in multiple pieces on the ocean floor when found. Since being pulled to the surface, these fragments have further decayed and separated into smaller parts. The poor condition of the artifact has complicated efforts to determine its functions. Several inscriptions are heavily corroded, though advances in technology have helped to offer greater insight into its mechanisms and operation.
The Antikythera mechanism exists as eighty-two known pieces; the seven largest are labeled from A to G, while the remaining pieces are numbered from one to seventy-five. The device was housed within a shoe box-sized wooden case with bronze plates on its front and back. On its side was a crank that was used to wind the device to set it to the correct date. Thirty-seven gears spread out over several pieces have been identified. Such technological advancements had not been previously linked with the first century B.C.E., making the Antikythera mechanism unique.
Detailed examinations of its workings and inscriptions have shown that it had astronomical applications. In its original state, the Antikythera mechanism had a bronze circular face with six rotating hands on an outer ring with 365 marks indicating the days of the year, and a seventh hand on an inner ring. The six outer hands corresponded to the phases of the Sun, as well as the orbits of the planets Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. It is known that different colored balls indicating each planet (such as red for Mars) would have been on each hand. A rotating black and white ball in the center indicated the phases of the Moon. As a result, the device's user could predict the astronomical positions of the planets with relative accuracy.
On the back of the apparatus were two dials. The first was a standard calendar, while the second indicated solar and lunar eclipses. Another dial displayed the dates of important athletic festivals, including the Olympics.
Scientists are still exploring the origins of the device. Based upon the use of Corinthian names for the months of the year, some scientists have speculated that it was made in the northeast part of the Peloponnese peninsula near the city of Corinth. The discovery of Rhodesian artworks in the shipwreck itself have led others to attribute its creation to the island of Rhodes. However, another theory suggests that since the dial listing athletic contests includes festivals that took place in both the northwestern and far southeastern portions of the Greek Empire, the device was manufactured in one locale, but designed specifically to meet the needs of another.
While scientists had initially dated the manufacture of the mechanism as being relatively contemporary with that of the shipwreck—perhaps between 150 and 100 B.C.E.—recent research highlighting a dial that predicted an eclipse on May 12, 205 B.C.E. suggests the year 205 B.C.E. may be a more logical date of construction.
Although the mechanism has been well-known among scientists since the 1950s, it was catapulted into the broader public consciousness in 2006 when X-ray imaging showed that the device contained engraved inscriptions and was perhaps even more sophisticated than previously thought.
A new expedition was approved in 2016. In September of 2016 a skeleton, apparently a young male, was found in the wreckage. Scientists believe this new discovery might offer further insight into the origins of the ship and its crew through new DNA extraction techniques, which they hope will be able to determine the long-deceased sailor's genetic ancestry and provide clues as to the departure point of the ancient ship that housed the Antikythera mechanism. New methods of preserving bone and any remaining DNA make this find particularly valuable. Similarly, scientists were using new techniques to review where the raw materials used to construct the ship originated. These finds followed another excavation in May of 2016 that unearthed gold jewelry, a flute, and a bronze spear.
Eric Bullard
Bibliography
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